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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #260151
Title: Comparison of synthetic food-based lures and liquid protein baits for capture of Anastrepha suspensa (Diptera: Tephritidae) adults

Author
item Epsky, Nancy
item Kendra, Paul
item PENA, JORGE - University Of Florida
item Heath, Robert

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/4/2011
Publication Date: 6/30/2011
Citation: Epsky, N.D., Kendra, P.E., Pena, J., Heath, R.R. 2011. Comparison of synthetic food-based lures and liquid protein baits for capture of Anastrepha suspensa (Diptera: Tephritidae) adults. Florida Entomologist. 94(2): 180-185.

Interpretive Summary: Regulatory agencies deploy traps baited with a three component food-based attractant to monitor for new infestations of the Mediterranean fruit fly in areas currently fly-free, and questions remain on the effectiveness of this attractant as well as a new single unit formulation of a two component attractant for detecting and/or monitoring Caribbean fruit flies. Scientists at SHRS conducted field tests in south Florida to compare capture of Caribbean fruit flies in traps baited with two component and three component food-based attractants or with liquid protein solutions, and to evaluate a new single unit formulation of the two component attractant. Two component attractant captured the highest number of flies in all tests, and there was no difference between attractant presented as single lures or as a single unit. Although fewer flies were captured by the other attractants, there was no difference in number captured by a three component attractant or torula yeast/borax, which is the standard liquid protein bait for this pest. Results confirm that traps targeting the Mediterranean fruit fly are as effective in detecting Caribbean fruit flies as the standard liquid protein bait. The single unit formulation of the two component attractant will provide the improved handling that has been requested by users. This information will be used for program decisions by Federal and State regulatory agencies that monitor Caribbean fruit flies in areas in which it occurs, or deploys traps to detect this pest in areas that are currently fly free.

Technical Abstract: Field tests that were conducted in south Florida to compare capture of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), in Multilure traps baited with liquid protein baits torula yeast/borax or NuLure/borax, or with food-based synthetic lures including two component (ammonium acetate, putrescine) and three component (ammonium acetate, putrescine, trimethylamine) Biolures. The highest percentage capture of females was in traps baited with the two component Biolure (44-61%), intermediate capture was in traps baited with the three component Biolure (14-24%) or torula yeast/borax (8-25%), and the lowest capture tended to be in traps baited with NuLure/borax (0-19%). Similar results were obtained for capture of males. Tests of the unipak two component Biolure, which has a reduced ammonium acetate release rate and is a single lure with ammonium acetate and putrescine sections, found no difference in capture of either females or males between two component Biolure formulated as individual lures or as unipak. Intermediate capture of females was obtained in traps baited with unipak Biolure combined with single lure trimethylamine, but this was greater than capture in traps baited with torula yeast/borax. Our studies confirmed that the best lure for A suspensa is ammonium acetate and putrescine, however, C. capitata-targeted traps baited with ammonium acetate, putrescine and trimethylamine should be as effective as traps baited with torula yeast/borax for A. suspensa detection and monitoring. The unipak two component Biolure is equally effective and will provide the improved handling that has been requested by users.